PERSONAL ENCRYPTION DEVICE

• US 20120210122A1
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Published: 08/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank Of America NA (Bank of America Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Bank Of America NA (Bank of America Corp.)
• Inventors: Woodward, Richard John, Adams, Amanda Jane
• Granted Patent: US 8,516,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/151
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0877 using additional device, e.g. trusted platform module [TPM], smartcard, USB or hardware security module [HSM]

Abstract

A method and system for securing a handheld computing device is described. A personal encryption device may be physically connected to a handheld computing device. Responsive to the connection, a main screen user interface may be displayed on a display of the handheld computing device. The main screen user interface may include at least one cryptography option for a user of the handheld computing device. A user-defined input representative of selection of a first cryptography option of the at least one cryptography option may be received, and at least one cryptography process associated with the selected first cryptography option may be implemented by the handheld computing device and personal encryption device. The cryptography options may include encryption, decryption, digital signatures, and digital signature verification.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, at a handheld computing device from a personal encryption device, data for operating the handheld computing device with the personal encryption device;

physically connecting the personal encryption device to the handheld computing device;

responsive to the connecting, displaying a main screen user interface on a display of the handheld computing device, the main screen user interface including at least one cryptography option for a user of the handheld computing device;

receiving, at the handheld device, a user-defined input representative of selection of a first cryptography option of the at least one cryptography option; and

implementing, by the handheld device and the personal encryption device, at least one cryptography process associated with the selected first cryptography option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt at least one of:

a document, a folder, a directory, and an e-mail, the implementing including encrypting the at least one document, folder, directory, and e-mail.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to decrypt at least one of:

a document, a folder, a directory, and an e-mail, the implementing including decrypting the at least one document, folder, directory, and e-mail.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to digitally sign a document or verify a digitally signed document, the implementing including digitally signing the document with a private key on the personal encryption device or verifying the digitally signed document from an external source.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the implementing further comprising emailing, by the handheld computing device, the digitally signed document with a copy of a PK certificate of the personal encryption device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to enable a secure connection from a private key on the personal encryption device using one of an SSL connection or through a virtual private network, the implementing including validating the SSL connection or connecting to the virtual private network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the handheld computing device, a PK certificate of a recipient, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt an e-mail to the recipient, the implementing including encrypting the e-mail with the PK certificate of the recipient.

8. The method of claim 1, the data for operating the handheld computing device with the personal encryption device including a PK certificate of the personal encryption device, the method further comprising:

maintaining the PK certificate on the handheld computing device;

determining whether the personal encryption device has been disconnected from the handheld computing device; and

responsive to determining the personal encryption device has been disconnected from the handheld computing device, encrypting at least one of;

a document, a folder, and a directory with the PK certificate of the personal encryption device maintained on the handheld computing device.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory having stored therein computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform a method of;

transmitting data for operating a handheld computing device with the apparatus, the data including instructions for rendering a main screen user interface on a display of the handheld computing device, the main screen user interface including at least one cryptography option for a user of the handheld computing device; and

implementing at least one cryptography process associated with a selected first cryptography option of the at least one cryptography option.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt or decrypt at least one of:

a document, a folder, a directory, and an e-mail, the implementing including encrypting or decrypting the at least one document, folder, directory, and e-mail.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to digitally sign a document or verify a digitally signed document, the implementing including digitally signing the document with a private key on the apparatus or verifying the digitally signed document from an external source.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to enable a secure connection from a private key on the apparatus using one of an SSL connection or through a virtual private network, the implementing including validating the SSL connection or connecting to the virtual private network.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, the at least one memory having stored therein computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform transmitting a PK certificate of a recipient, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt an e-mail to the recipient, the implementing including encrypting the e-mail with the PK certificate of the recipient.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, the data for operating the handheld computing device with the apparatus including a PK certificate of the apparatus, the at least one memory having stored therein computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform transmitting the PK certificate to the handheld computing device.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method of:

transmitting data for operating a handheld computing device with the processor, the data including instructions for rendering a main screen user interface on a display of the handheld computing device, the main screen user interface including at least one cryptography option for a user of the handheld computing device; and

implementing at least one cryptography process associated with a selected first cryptography option of the at least one cryptography option.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt or decrypt at least one of:

a document, a folder, a directory, and an e-mail, the implementing including encrypting or decrypting the at least one document, folder, directory, and e-mail.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to digitally sign a document or verify a digitally signed document, the implementing including digitally signing the document with a private key on the apparatus or verifying the digitally signed document from an external source.

18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to enable a secure connection from a private key on the apparatus using one of an SSL connection or through a virtual private network, the implementing including validating the SSL connection or connecting to the virtual private network.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the processor to perform transmitting a PK certificate of a recipient, wherein the selected first cryptography option is an option to encrypt an e-mail to the recipient, the implementing including encrypting the e-mail with the PK certificate of the recipient.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 15, the data for operating the handheld computing device with the processor including a PK certificate of the processor, the computer executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the processor to perform transmitting the PK certificate to the handheld computing device.